I got a call at 8P.M. this week from a couple that had just returned from a vacation to find four racoons in their master bathroom. Not only did the Racoons cause them grief after a long day of travel to return home, they also did an enormous amount of damage to the home. The mother Racoon was using a tiny gap in the soffit to enter the attic. She had easy access to move in and out of the home at will and forage for food. She gave birth in the attic and nursed her young, and while the residents below were unaware. When the family left town to go on vacation, the Raccoons felt safe enough to try and explore the interior of the home proper. They absolutely destroyed a large amount of the duct work, the air return, and even damaged a lot of the vents. When inspecting the home after I relocated the Raccoon family, I noticed that many of the AC vents had insulation visible. This is an indicator that the duct leading to that vent is compromised and leaking the cold air into the attic. Of coarse this means your air conditioner works harder and runs longer leading to a higher electric bill, but it will burn your air conditioner up faster. Most of the time this whole scenario can be avoided. St. Johns Pest Control will bring any potential access points for rodents or other wildlife to your attention, and usually offer a solution that can be taken care of with fairly light exclusionary work. Having St. Johns Pest Control provide monthly or quarterly service can stop a nightmare like this before it had a chance to even start.
